FIREFIGHTERS worked fast to extinguish a brush fire the wind was quickly driving towards a home on Maquoit Road in Brunswick Monday afternoon.
A brush fire burned approximately three acres of grass and trees in the area of 188 Maquoit Road Monday afternoon.
The fire was reported at 2 p.m.
David Stevens Jr. was mowing on his property when he noticed there was a fire where he’d made a pass with his riding lawnmower.
He tried to stomp the flames out with his feet, to no avail. Due to the strong wind, fire soon spread toward a neighbor’s home.
THE REMAINS OF A LAWN MOWER, following a brush fire Monday at 188 Maquoit Road.
The fire reached the foundation and melted vinyl siding on the back of a house at 206 Maquoit Road, but the home was saved, according to Brunswick Fire Captain Matt Barnes.
When he arrived, Barnes said the smoke was very thick. He saw the homeowner with a garden hose trying to protect what property he could. Other neighbors came with buckets and did what they could to help douse the fire.
The fire had also ignited a group of pine trees which sent flames 40 feet into the air.
However, Barnes estimated firefighters had the fire under control within 15 minutes.
“As soon as the guys got on scene with the water, they did a great job as far as how fast they put the fire out,” Barnes said.
The Maine Forest Service daily predicts fire danger in the seven zones in Maine and has predicted a high fire danger for the Midcoast over the last three days. Numerous brush fires were reported during that time. When conditions are like this, unattended brush and campfires are likely to escape and fires spread rapidly.
Barnes said that calling 911 first, before grabbing a hose and fighting the flames, was the right thing to do. He said calling is especially important when there are strong winds driving a fire.
“As soon as you think there’s a fire, run and call 911 and let us take care of it,” Barnes said.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
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